Doctoral student in additive manufacturing of tungsten

Organisation/Company FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg Department Materials Science Research Field Engineering » Materials engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 12 Dec 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Reference Number Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Materials that can withstand extreme heat, pressure, and corrosion are essential for the energy, aerospace, and clean tech industries. Tungsten excels in all these areas, but its use is limited by its brittleness and very high melting point, which makes it difficult to process with conventional methods. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions program, the ElectronsMatter network is addressing this challenge through electron beam powder bed fusion (PBF-EB), a cutting-edge additive manufacturing technique. By combining modelling, process optimization, and advanced materials characterization, the project aims to produce crack‑free tungsten components.

In this context, the Institute for Materials Science and Engineering of Metals (WTM) at Friedrich‑Alexander‑Universität Erlangen‑Nürnberg (FAU) is recruiting two PhD students to join this European network for three years , contribute to the research, and receive training in sustainable manufacturing and advanced materials.

Description of the research projects:

Process development for tungsten: You will develop process strategies to produce dense and crack‑free tungsten components using PBF-EB with high efficiency. The development of process parameters will be assisted by process simulations. You will also produce samples for mechanical testing and characterize the influence of the oxygen content in the powder and the components on their properties and the implications for powder reuse.

Process monitoring and quality assurance: You will develop a multi‑detector system to detect electrons generated in the PBF-EB process for in‑situ imaging and adapt it to the specific tungsten process conditions. Hereby, information on melt pool dynamics and temperatures, as well as the resulting surface quality, will be obtained. You will also develop software tools to analyze large volumes of generated data and derive process signatures to identify and predict process errors. You will collaborate with other researchers on data analysis using AI and on real‑time X‑ray diffraction and radiography to enhance understanding of the correlation between the electron signal and physical melting phenomena.

How to apply

Documents to be submitted: Applicants must submit the following documents in English or German, compiled into one single PDF file:

• Cover letter (1 page) describing previous research experience and current research interests, clearly outlining the fit to the desired PhD topic(s)
• Transcripts of grades obtained for B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees, final M.Sc. grade or expected final grade (and anticipated graduation date if applicable). The final certificate of the M.Sc. degree must be presented upon hiring.
• Additional certificates, if applicable

Submission procedure

• Please send these documents via email to the email address specified below.
• For general questions about the personnel selection procedure and for questions about the content of the advertised position, please contact Dr. Benjamin Wahlmann (email: ).

Where to apply

E‑mail

Requirements

Research Field Technology Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Materials Science or a related field (e.g., Mechanical Engineering, Physics) with excellent grades.
• Extensive knowledge of materials science and engineering of metals.
• The applicant must not already possess a doctoral degree on the date of recruitment.
• Mobility Rule: Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies) in Germany for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date.
• Doctoral candidates must be willing to be seconded to two additional project partners for one month each in fulfillment of the grant requirements.
• Excellent English communication, presentation, and writing skills.
• Good German skills are preferable.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Additional Information

Additional comments

The position is full‑time. The salary is determined by the EU living allowance (4.058,12 € per month) plus an additional mobility allowance (710 € per month) and, if applicable, a family allowance (660 € per month). All amounts listed are gross figures and include taxes and social security contributions.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available 2 Company/Institute Institute for Materials Science and Engineering of Metals Country Germany City Erlangen Postal Code 91058 Street Martensstr. 5 Geofield

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